Cold Fire
by Crayola Hearts
Summary: The night they met in that bar, completely by accident, they never expected that they'd turn each other's lives upside down - but for better or worse, they weren't really sure.
1. Chapter 1

_**Note: **_For some reason, I couldn't shake the idea of a collage Au for these two and well, this is the production. I spent at least a week or so writing and rewriting this because nothing really seemed to fit at first. I also held off on posting this until I had a little over half of the second chapter written so that should be posted in a few days (read: tomorrow).

* * *

_**Cold Fire**_

_Chapter 1_

Leo

_**He always preferred machines to humans**_; mechanical creations were logical and easily fixed, but people were not - once a person was broken, there was no fixing it. One could try, but they'd never heal properly; there'd always be pieces missing, for a person breaking was similar to a glass breaking - they could be pieced back together, taped or glued in place, but in the end, it would never be the same. Machines,on the other hand, could be rebuilt. New pieces could be added to replace the old. Sometimes all they needed was a bit of oil, maybe a bit of duct tape, and they'd be good as new.

You couldn't duct tape a human heart.

His reclusive father had spoken those same words the one and only time Leo had actually met him - on the day of his mother's funeral, no less. But the occasion on which they'd been spoken didn't matter, for they were true, truer than any string of words Leo had ever heard uttered.

People just weren't fixable. You could hide the damage, slap a band-aid over it and call it a day, but the problem was never resolved. Some wounds just never healed - and he knew that better than he would like to admit. When it came to the pain of being broken, he knew first hand just how difficult it was to get back up and dust yourself off. The it was easy to mask; he'd just slap a smile onto his face and crack a few jokes and no one could tell the difference. As far as his friends were concerned, he was the happiest of them all, but there was a saying that said the most broken people smile the brightest, and he was a living testimony to that.

Naturally, he preferred the easier thing to work with.

The garage was hot and stuffy. He hated working in there with the door closed, but Piper always insisted on keeping the door closed unless it was absolutely necessary. She claimed she didn't want anything getting in and leaving behind 'surprises', but Leo suspected the real reason she never let them open the door had nothing to do with the droppings of wild animals - it had to do with the fact that the garage was an absolute mess. There were tools strewn everywhere, engines and parts scattered about, and scrap piles everywhere. The floor was permanently stained with oil, and the entire garage constantly smelled like grease and gas. And he wouldn't have had it any other way. There was a sort of organized chaos to it all that put him at ease; he practically grew up in a garage, after all.

His latest project took up a large portion of the garage in the form of Jason's 1969 _Ford Torino_. The car had originally belonged to his father, and while Jason wasn't a huge fan of older cars, a car was a car - a free car was even better, but as great as it was, it wasn't in the best condition. It'd been sitting in a shed for years before he'd gotten it; the paint was chipping away, the engine needed to be completely rebuilt, the tires were bald and flat, among many other problems. Jason wasn't exactly ecstatic about the car, but Leo was. The second Jason pushed the car into the driveway, he'd been on it like a bee to honey.

That was nearly a year ago. He'd planned on having it finished sooner, but college was a demanding thing. Very rarely did he have free time. It was the same for all of them, particularly for Piper, who was either interning or in class. She barely had time for her fiance, much less sleep.

He'd always found it interesting that during middle and high school, the group was inseparable. They did everything together. All of them practically lived at each other's houses, in one way or another. Leo'd lived with Piper since he was thirteen, but that was for a completely different reason that had nothing to do with their friendship.

After his mother died, Leo bounced from foster home to foster home. Most of them never lasted more than a few weeks, if he was lucky. More often than not, he'd run away before he could be sent back. Then, after five years of moving from house to house, Piper's father, the famous Tristan McLean had taken him. Why his father never stepped up to the plate, he wasn't sure, but at this point, after only seeming him once in the twenty two years Leo had been alive, he didn't care. He'd managed without him.

The group still stuck together. Despite the fact that Piper's father told her they were all welcome to stay at his place (it certainly was big enough), they'd all insisted on living on their own. With Tristan's help, they managed to get their own places in a new apartment building near the collage. New as it was, space was limited and most of them had paired, or grouped up, in the case of the girls, to help pay their utilities. Piper, Jason, and Leo had originally intended to live in the same apartment, but the landlord, Gleeson Hedge, who was also the coach of the college's football team, was adamant in his rule of 'no boys and girls living in the same apartment', despite the fact that all of them were over the legal age. Of course, this rule didn't pertain to anyone who was married, but none of them were married (yet), and it had thrown a wrench in their plans.

In the end, things had worked out considerably well. Jason and Leo stuck together, with the addition of Frank, who was just about as miffed as the rest of the guys at the idea that they couldn't live with their girlfriends, however, the rule said they couldn't _live _together - sleep overs weren't completely out of the question. They were weekly things usually on Friday or Saturday night, and most of the time they weren't planned. Everyone just piled into one apartment for whatever reason and ended up staying. All of them had at least one extra key to each other's apartment, though they weren't entirely needed. Most of the time, they left their front doors unlocked.

They all had a key to Piper's father's place too, but he was the only one who made use of that; after all, Tristan had always let Leo use the garage as a work place.

"You know," Piper said, effectively jolting him out of his musings, "if you just asked Dad, he'd probably buy you place for a shop."

He knew that. Tristan had offered several times, but he just couldn't accept, not every everything he'd done for him over the years. His mother had taught him at a young age that there was only so much you should take from a person. Besides, Leo liked to think of himself as independent, and he just wouldn't feel as accomplished if he did open the shop by himself. Of course, all of this would happen _after_ he repaid Tristan.

"I know, but I wanna do it on my own, ya know? I'm a big kid now, remember?"

Piper rolled her eyes. "Could've fooled me."

Leo gave her a cheeky grin and turned his attention to the motor in front of him.

"Don't tell Jason I told you this, but Jason's getting a new car soon, and he was thinking of giving you the Torino."

He nearly dropped the wrench he was holding. "Really?!"

She nodded. "He wanted to surprise you, but I figured I'd tell you so you can start planning for modifications now."

She knew him so well. "Thanks, Pipes," he smiled at her. It was a real genuine smile, but she would never know that.

"Just don't put rockets on it..."

He couldn't help but laugh. A few years back, he and Percy had a brilliant idea to put rockets on Percy's Camaro - well, it seemed like a brilliant idea at the time, but it was, in fact, a very bad idea. Even if Percy had crashed it into a tree, they still thought it was pretty cool. The others didn't share their sentiments.

Piper gave him a wary look. "I'm serious, Leo. Percy could have died."

"But he didn't," Leo felt the need to point out. "'Sides, he thought it was cool."

"Which is exactly why you are not putting rockets on that car." Piper pointed at him accusingly. "I still don't understand how you even managed that."

"Magic," Leo joked. He knew better than to get into a detailed explanation how how he actually managed it. Piper would listen to the first few sentences and then everything would just go in one ear and out the other. She never really did have an appreciation for mechanics, and as smart as she was, she frankly didn't understand them. None of his friends did, aside from Annabeth, though it wasn't exactly an area of interest to her.

She just shrugged in response. "Anyway, I came in here to tell you that Percy actually managed to get an A in a class. We're going down to Dionysus's tonight to celebrate."

Leo gave her a skeptical look. "Annabeth did his final for him, didn't she?"

Piper shook her head. "She helped him study, but no, he did it himself. She just found a way to keep him entertained long enough for him to be able to focus."

He really needed that, all of them did. Most of them were ADHD or Dyslexic, or in Percy's case, both.

"What time?"

Piper shrugged. "Whenever, it doesn't really matter. Percy, Annabeth, and Grover are already there and Jason and I are going in a few minutes. Frank and Hazel should be coming around seven. Will and Nico said they might be coming, but Nico hasn't been feeling well so there's a good chance they won't."

Leo tried not to let the relief show. He wasn't sure what it was about Nico Di Angelo, but there was something about him that made him uncomfortable. "I'll probably come over after I finish putting the carburetor back in."

"I'll make sure to save you a spot at the bar." With that, Piper left.

Leo glanced down at the engine and sighed. He hated going to the bar with them. He always seemed to end up by himself while everyone else had a good time. Sometimes he was thankful for that, especially when Percy or Grover did something embarrassing. It was probably by his own fault, considering that he never really tried to put himself in the middle of the chaos, but he also hoped at least one of them would notice and try to coax him into it. Unsurprisingly, it rarely happened.

Back in the day, it wasn't like that, but then again, no one was dating anyone either. It was no surprise when Percy and Annabeth had gotten together; all of them had been expecting it since day one. Piper and Jason wasn't that big of a shock either, at least not to Leo. Frank and Hazel had be a bit surprising, considering that at the time, it seemed like Hazel was going for Leo, but in the end, she'd chosen Frank over him. The most surprising of all had been Grover and Juniper, a pretty girl with amber hair that he'd met at an environmental protest. He just came back with her one day and announced that she was his girlfriend. And despite his protests, it was obvious to everyone that _something_ was going on with Nico and Will.

Naturally, he was the only one who was left single.

Of course, being single had it's bright side; he had no obligations to anyone - he was free to do what he wanted, when he wanted, with whoever he wanted. He didn't have to worry about remembering things like anniversaries, didn't have to spend money on Valentine's Day gifts, and best of all, he didn't have to deal with the drama and conflict that came with a relationship.

Still, after twenty two years of not experiencing it, he couldn't help but wonder what it was like. The idea that someone would accept him, love him, despite all of his faults was a foreign one to him - one that he couldn't comprehend. Piper had once tried to explain it, but he still didn't understand. He didn't think he ever would.

With the carburetor in place, Leo closed the hood of the car and seized a rag from the workbench behind him. He had a bad feeling something was going to happen tonight, like it always did when they went down to Dionysus's. Most of the time, they were kicked out due to Jason and Percy's ever continuing battle of drinking contests, which almost always seemed to result in a physical fight later on. With a heavy sigh, he resigned himself to another chaotic Friday night.

* * *

Dionysus's was named after the Grecian god of wine, but that's where any sort of similarity ended. The small dive bar was located a few blocks from their apartment, and while it didn't look like much on the outside, it was completely different inside. The bar itself, which served more than just wine was located right inside the entryway. Off to the right, there was a raised platform for bands to play. Tonight it was empty and light rock was playing over the speakers. Off to the left, and through an archway was a sort of game room. There were several pool tables, a shuffleboard table. An air hockey table was shoved against one wall. On the other side of the room, there were a couple dart boards and several old school arcade games like Pac Man and Galaga, and a retro pinball machine. Like the rest of the bar, it was lit with a bright purple light.

His friends had gathered in their usual spot, the largest booth in the very back, closest to the game room. He never understood how they managed to cram ten people, eleven on the rare occasion that Jason's sister pops in, into one corner booth, but they some how managed. Due to Will and Nico's absence, there was a bit more room than normal, something he was thankful for; he'd be able to enjoy his drink without being elbowed in the side every time he tried to take a sip.

When he reached the table, he discovered that Percy was already lit. He swayed in his spot, giggling like a child, as Grover motioned wildly about something. Jason was well on his way to being as far gone as Percy, even though he'd probably been there for no more than a half hour, but instead of giggling, he just mumbled as Piper rolled her eyes beside him. Despite their claims, neither one of them were heavy drinkers. In fact, aside from Hazel, who hardly drank at all, they were the two biggest lightweights. The rest of them had moderate tolerances. Then there was Annabeth, who's tolerance was just downright terrifying at times.

Annabeth had once explained that it was probably due to the fact that she had some kind of European in her (maybe German? He wasn't really paying attention at the time), but Leo had always suspected she was just one of those people who could handle alcohol.

He himself was on the slightly higher end, but he was nothing compared to Annabeth. The only person he'd met who could out drink her was Thalia, Jason's sister, and even she had trouble sometimes. Annabeth was just unconquerable; which was why she always sat out during their drinking contests.

Piper scooted over, offering Leo a place at the table. For once, half of his backside wasn't hanging off the end. Percy gave him a drunken wave, nearly knocking over Annabeth's glass in the process.

Frank and Hazel, who had gotten there before he had, gave Percy a wary look. They were well acquainted with how wild he could get. Leo wouldn't be surprised if he tried to swim in the fountain in the park across the street, again.

"He's already gone," Leo pointed out.

Annabeth rolled her eyes and nodded. "I told him not to start before everyone got here, but he didn't listen."

"But Annie! They were taking _forever_!" Percy whined. Grover cast him a sideways glance.

There was an unspoken rule among the group to never refer to Annabeth as 'Annie',or to shorten her name in general, but occasionally one of them would get away with calling her Anna or An, but never Annie. No one was really certain why she didn't like it, but they respected it; none of them were particularly fond of being Judo flipped.

But Annabeth let it slide this time. Percy was just too drunk to be reasoned with.

"You still should have waited. What is the point in celebrating _with your friends_ if you weren't going to _wait for them to show up?_" Annabeth's tone was soaked in strained patience.

He pouted at her and Leo idly wondered how she managed to resist it. He knew Piper had trouble sometimes; she claimed he looked like a cute baby seal. Leo didn't exactly see the seal part, or the cute part for that matter, but he had to admit sometimes it really was hard to ignore. Sometimes he wondered if he purposely made his eyes water, just for effect.

"They were taking too long," Percy said again. Leo though he heard a tinge of accusation in his tone.

"Well they're here now," Grover cut in, "and you're drunk."

Percy laughed at him.

Grover had always reminded Leo of a goat. He just had that kind of face. Sometimes when he laughed, especially when he was nervous, it sounded like he was bleating. He wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he was hiding horns beneath the knit cap he always wore.

"Let's play air hockey." Percy said.

Jason stared at him from across the table. "Why so I can beat you?"

The entire table groaned. Jason and Percy were competitive enough when they were sober, but it was nearly ten times worse when they weren't. It took Percy a couple tries to slip out of the booth - he nearly landed face first in Annabeth's lap the second time - but once he was out, he stumbled towards the game room with Jason on his heels. Annabeth sighed dramatically and slipped out after them.

"I better go make sure they don't try to kill each other with the puck."

Grover followed after her.

"You're not going?" Hazel asked Piper.

She shook her head. "Last time I tried to stop them from one of their crazy contests, I got hit in the face with a cue ball."

Hazel grimaced.

"Percy ended up hitting him in the crotch with the 8 ball right after that," Leo felt the need to point out. He'd thought it was the funniest thing he'd seen in a while, but Piper and Jason didn't share his sentiments. Percy, on the other hand, couldn't stop laughing long enough to apologize.

"Come to think of it," Piper said thoughtfully, "Hazel, you still owe me a rematch in darts."

Hazel looked uncomfortable. The last time she'd played, she'd accidentally hit Frank in the backside. "I did promise but..."

"I'll stay out of the way," Frank said. He squeezed her hand reassuringly.

Reluctantly, Hazel followed Piper away from the table. When they reached the entrance to the game room, Piper let out a shriek and ducked as a streak of black sailed over her head. She glared into the room. Jason's slurred apology could barely be heard over the sound of Percy's laughter.

"I swear, being in the same game room with them is deadly," Frank shuddered.

Leo laughed. It was true though; every time they were in there, someone managed to get hurt. Most of the time, it was Piper and Frank - until Annabeth grabbed a pool stick. No one was safe then. The owner, Mr. D, probably bought at least three new sets in the last month. While he didn't get into the chaos much, that didn't mean he was safe from Annabeth's wrath; he'd had his fair share beatings with them before. She'd broken a couple on his head before.

"Sometimes I wonder how Percy's alive." Frank muttered, thinking the same thing as Leo. "Any of us, for that matter."

Leo nodded in agreement.

Though she didn't look like it at first glance, Annabeth was terrifying. She was considered a master of at least two types of martial arts, but her physical prowess wasn't what was so scary; it was her intelligence that really scared them. She could easily think of the worst way to ruin your day and carry out her plan with ease - and no one would ever see it coming.

He and Frank sat in awkward silence. Leo was never one for starting conversations and Frank wasn't exactly talkative, at least not with Leo. He suspected Frank was still wary due to the issue with Hazel in high school, though he didn't understand why. It was obvious Hazel had chosen Frank over him; in his mind, Frank had nothing to be worried about. Leo like girls, _a lot_, but he'd never stoop so low as to try and steal someone else's girl, past feelings or not.

Finally, after five or so minutes passed, Frank broke the silence. "So...since everyone else is in there, why don't we play a game a pool? Before Annabeth breaks all the sticks."

Playing pool certainly beat sitting in the corner for the rest of the night. He seized Percy's left behind cut and took a sip. He grimaced. "Ugh, whiskey," he choked out. "Yeah, pool sounds good."

"Go secure a couple sticks, I'll get us some drinks. You like rum, right?"

Leo nodded. He was thankful he didn't ask if he wanted tequila. He may have been Hispanic, but that didn't mean he liked the stuff. In fact, he couldn't stand it.

Frank slipped out of the booth and went to the bar. Mr. D wasn't exactly pleased to see him, but then again, Leo didn't think Mr. D was pleased to see _anyone_.

Resigning himself to the fact that he was probably going to get hit with a hockey puck, he pushed himself out of the booth.

He didn't see her until it was too late.

She'd had her back to him, and he was still staring at the bar when he walked right into her. She lost her balance and hit the floor with a loud yelp. It took him a moment to recover from his initial shock, but just as he stepped forward to help her up, she rolled over. Her face was twisted with furry. "Can't you watch where you're going?"

For a moment, he could only stare at her.

She was absolutely beautiful. Leo had seen a lot of pretty girls, been rejected by most of them, but she was in a class of her own. Her skin was smooth and pale without fault, much like porcelain. Her caramel hair cascaded over her shoulder in a loose ponytail and despite the angry fire burning inside them, her dark eyes were nearly as breath taking as the rest of her.

She looked like the models that Leo sometimes saw at Tristan McLean's parties - damn near perfect.

Leo was usually good with the ladies, or so he liked to think. Even in the face of a pretty woman, he could think of something to say, but at this moment all he could mutter was "Uh..."

_Very intelligent, Valdez_, he chided himself.

She didn't find his brilliant reply to be funny, even in a pitying way. If anything, it seemed to irritate her further. "Are you going to stand there like an idiot, or are you going to help me?" She had a heavy accent, though what it was, he couldn't exactly place.

Leo only blinked.

Muttering something in a language he wasn't familiar with, she pushed herself to her feet and stormed off. His gaze lingered on her. He caught the tail end of an insult, something that rhymed with the word 'tick', as she shoved the door to the bathroom open and disappeared.

"Leo Valdez," Mr. D drawled from the bar, "Lady Killer extraordinaire. Well done. No wonder the ladies throw themselves at you."

He barely registered his words. Frank had to shake him before he finally returned to Earth. "So...about that game of pool..."


	2. Chapter 2

_**How I Met Your Mother**_

_Chapter 2_

Leo

_**He was embarrassed.**_

Thankfully, Frank said nothing about the incident, though Leo didn't really expect him too; he wasn't that insensitive. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know that the scene that happened moments before was anything but normal. Leo was witty, he always had something to say, but at that very moment, he was so stunned by _her_ that he couldn't even form an articulate sentence. Mr. D's comment wasn't helping matters either.

It was evident from the way he strode into the game room that he was irritated, the concerned looks from the girls proved as much. Even Percy had stopped his tied battle with Jason to give him a look. He ignored them. He was not about to explain himself; drunk as they were, Percy and Jason would just laugh at him.

He was pretty easy going, but if there was one thing he hated, other than being laughed at, it was being yelled at. He did not like people making a fool out of him - that was his job, and his job alone. Even so, he couldn't say exactly why he was mad. Maybe he was mad at her for her attitude, maybe he was mad at Mr. D for his less than subtle attempt to embarrass him, or maybe he was mad at himself for allowing himself to look so stupid. Maybe it wasn't any of those.

He didn't bother to try and find the reason. Instead, he channeled all of his frustration into the thrust he gave the stick in his hands. The cue ball slammed into the set at the other side. The balls bounced off the corners, off each other, but none of them sunk into the pockets. Just his luck. He wasn't Annabeth, who could pick out every angle and predict every move in an instant, but he wasn't bad either. Not as bad as Frank, who just missed the cue ball. If his mind were there, he would have thought better about hitting the ball with all his force, but it wasn't. If Frank didn't know he was irritated, he could have passed it off as nothing more than the fact that he was going easy on him.

After the third time he knocked the balls off the table, Frank had had enough.

"What's with you?"

Leo ignored him and tried to take his shot. He hit the cue ball into the 5 ball. It rolled across the green and stopped just at the very edge of the corner pocket. If it were possible, he would have burst into flames due to frustration.

"Leo, seriously," Frank tried again. He was doing his best to keep his voice low; the other would certainly flock around them if only to hear just what was eating him away. "What's with you?"

"She's just..." He couldn't find the word he was looking for.

"Hot?" Frank provided. He meant it as a joke, hoping that Leo would laugh, but he didn't.

Leo stayed silent for a moment before finding the word. "Infuriating."

"You did push her down..." Frank said.

Leo glared at him, as if to ask which side he was on. Frank adverted his gaze and took his shot. He sank the 6 ball in the left corner pocket.

"She didn't need to be so rude. I _was _going to help her up, but then she snapped." He rolled his eyes. "A real ball of Sunshine, she is."

Frank said nothing more, for which Leo was thankful.

After a few more half hearted shots, Frank accidentally sank the 8 ball, thus giving Leo the win, but he wasn't satisfied with that. With a huff, he downed the rest of his drink. Several minutes later, Hazel came over and gave Leo a wary glance as Frank reracked the balls. He handed her the stick and sauntered over to the air hockey table. Percy had won the last game, but Annabeth insisted he come play Pac Man with her. Piper was currently challenging Jason, who was even drunker than he was before he played Percy. Piper was winning with ease.

"You okay?" She asked as she effortlessly blocked the puck.

Leo shrugged. He knew Piper wouldn't laugh at him, but after the conversation with Frank, he wasn't in the mood to talk about it.

She hit the puck in one last time, signalling Jason's defeat. The blond pouted. "Damn it."

"Sorry, Sparky," Piper smiled apologetically.

Then Jason shrugged and stumbled to the nearest chair. Without preamble, Leo grabbed the striker and slid the puck across the surface. "Winner goes first."

Piper smiled.

She hit the puck with surprising speed, and he managed to block it. They went back and forth for several minutes before Leo managed to score.

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong, or am I going to have to worm it out of you?"

Piper wasn't one to pry, but knew she was doing it because she was concerned. She was his best friend, practically his sister, and when Piper cared about someone, she didn't let things slide. She _was_ a psych major, after all, and had a way of reading people that often made him uncomfortable. She was one of the only people who knew he wasn't all smiles and jokes, like he seemed.

"Let me guess," she said, "rejected again?"

That was everyone's first guess and while it sometimes irritated him that people automatically assumed it, he couldn't deny that sixty-five percent of the time they were right.

"Not really. In a way, but not really."

Piper raised a brow.

"I'll tell you about it later," Leo said.

She didn't look like she wanted to accept that answer, but she said nothing more on the matter. If Leo didn't want to talk about something, he wasn't going to.

The game lasted longer than either one had expected it too. In the first thirty minutes they'd only scored two points each, but the pace eventually picked up. Nearly an hour later, Leo had claimed victory, though Piper almost had the game when he nearly hit the puck into his own goal.

Piper and Leo had to help Jason back to the table. He could walk, but he kept stumbling to the side. He nearly walked Piper into a trashcan before she finally relented and let Leo take over. It was a difficult task, considering that Jason was several inches taller than him, and practically putting all of his weight on him, but Leo managed to steer him to the table where he fell onto the seat and let his head rest on the table. Beside him, Piper sighed.

Leo glanced at his friends, Percy had already passed out, using Annabeth's lap as a pillow. She idly played with his hair, ignoring the fact that he was drooling all over her jeans. Grover had his head on the table, and if it weren't for the fact that he occasionally lifted it to look around, Leo would have thought he was unconscious too. Hazel, surprisingly, was drunk, though not nearly as much as the other three. She'd scooted much closer to Frank than she normally would have, shamelessly flirting with him, a fact that was making Frank a bit uncomfortable.

Hazel was, well, old school. That's just how she was brought up. She didn't openly flirt and Leo often joked that the most daring thing she did was hold Franks hand (this didn't extend to her sisterly cheek kisses, as Percy called them). But at that current moment, she was practically in his lap. Leo suspected Frank wouldn't have minded as much if his friends weren't there, especially since Leo, Annabeth, and Piper were more or less sober.

Leo gave him a mischievous smile, to which Frank scowled.

He then turned his attention to the rest of the table. Jason was leaning against Piper, his face nestled in the crook of her neck, but Leo could tell just by his expression that he was unconscious as well. He was about to complain that they'd only been there for a couple hours, but he remembered that all of them had gotten there before him.

"Want anything?" Leo asked Piper as he motioned to the bar.

She gave it a moment of thought. "Just grab a bottle of rum. We'll split it."

He turned to ask Annabeth if she wanted anything specific, but she'd fallen asleep, no doubt exhausted from keeping Percy in line. Shrugging, he made his way to the bar.

The bar's owner, Mr D. (he claimed it was short for Dionysius) was a short, plump man with thick black hair and a thick beard. He constantly looked like he was drunk, and Leo didn't doubt that he was. "Give me a bottle of Bacardi."

Mr. D snorted but obliged. He opened his mouth to say something, but Leo didn't stick around to hear it. As soon as the bottle was in his hands, he turned away from the bar and made his way back to the table.

Piper had moved Jason so that he was lying on the seat, much like Percy. Leo couldn't help but notice how much younger he looked when he was sleeping. He didn't look as serious. The ever present crease in his brow was gone. He looked like he was sixteen again.

He poured himself a glass and passed the bottle to Piper. She offered some to Frank, but he shook his head.

"Someone's gotta be sober," he said.

They both shrugged.

They sat in silence. Leo studied Piper's face. She looked tired; the hours she spent in school and at work were really starting to take a toll on her. Frank wasn't in a much better position. Between his studies and his job at the Zoo, he was nearly as overwhelmed as Piper was. All of them were, really. Suddenly, he wished they were back in high school, when things were easier. They could afford to skip class, they weren't paying for them directly, and everyone seemed to have more time for each other. Now, it was like they were all on their own.

Nights like this were rare, and that in itself helped to demonstrate just how exhausting college was. Percy and Jason had been unusually calm, Annabeth hadn't had to beat anyone, and surprisingly, no one had gotten hurt - maybe Leo and his pride, but there were no physical injuries. Things had gone much more smoothly than he'd expected.

"Who's that girl?" Piper asked suddenly.

Leo knit his brows. "What?"

Piper gave him an exasperated sigh. "The one at the bar. She keeps glaring at you."

"That," Frank cut in before Leo could respond, "is the source of his bad mood."

Leo glared at him, but he continued. "He accidentally knocked her over. She got mad and snapped at him."

After hearing it from Frank's mouth, it sounded like a stupid reason to be mad, however, remembering what she'd said when she stormed off, he felt that it wasn't _that_ stupid.

"Did you apologize? Or help her?" Piper asked.

"I was going to, but she snapped at me."

"Then he just stared at her. She _was _really pretty," Frank finished.

"Oh?"

Leo did not like the look she gave him. It was the sly smile, the kind she gave him when she was about to do something devious, only this time, it seemed like she knew, or noticed, something he didn't. To prove his point, she downed her glass and slipped out of the booth.

"She better not be doing what I think she's doing," Leo groaned.

"She is. You might want to start rehearsing your apology now."

As much as he loved Piper in that you're-annoying-but-you're-my-sister way, sometimes he really wished she wouldn't try to do certain things. Normally, he didn't mind her antics, but tonight, he really did wish she wouldn't have gotten up. He knew exactly what she was doing. The girl was pretty, that much was obvious, and Piper had a habit of trying to play matchmaker. Under normal circumstances, he was more than willing to go along with Piper's attempts, but this time, he wasn't so sure.

He didn't even want to look in their direction. He knew Piper was trying to convince her to come over to the table. He hoped the girl refused, but luck was not on his side tonight.

"She's coming over with Piper."

Sure enough, a few seconds later, Piper slid into the booth with the girl at her side. "This is Calypso. She's from Greece."

Leo gave her a grudging hello and began nursing his drink. Frank was a bit more enthusiastic and Hazel managed to stutter out a "Hi, I'm Hazel".

Piper and Frank started a conversation with her and though he wasn't contributing to it, he was listening. He noted that the girl - Calypso - was much nicer and polite to them, though she completely ignored his presence. Finally, Hazel asked an interesting question.

"Are you living around here?"

Calypso nodded. "In the apartment building a few blocks over. I actually just got done unpacking everything."

All of them shared a look. "Which building?" Piper asked.

"The one by the lake? I can remember the street name."

"The one with the crazy landlord?" Leo asked.

She looked at him oddly, as if judging whether to humor him with an answer. "Yes." Her response was less than polite.

Frank raised a brow. "Funny, we live in the same building."

She didn't seem as surprised as Leo thought she would. If anything, she looked thoughtful. "My father did say there was a group of college kids living there."

"How would your father know?" Piper asked.

Calypso looked at her as if the answer were already obvious. "Because my father owns it."

They stared at her. "I thought...Hedge..." Frank started.

She shook her head. "Gleeson just watches the place, he's like the front desk man. My father is technically the landlord, though Gleeson likes to think of himself as the landlord." She sounded amused by the last statement.

"So you're rich." Hazel slurred.

Calypso shook her head. "I'm not rich, my father is."

"Wouldn't that technically make you rich?" Leo asked. He regretted it a moment later, however, when she turned her sharp gaze to him.

"Not when my father isn't supporting me." Venom dripped from her tone. Leo could see it in her eyes that she was getting defensive; he used the same tact himself.

Piper noticed too. She gave Calypso a sidelong glance and shook her head - although Leo wasn't sure if it was because she understood what the woman was saying, or due to her sudden hostility - hostility that Leo did _not_ appreciate.

So what if he accidentally walked into her? It happens. He had every intention of helping her up, but then she turned around and he found himself damn near mesmerized. Until she snapped. He wasn't exactly sure why he didn't move after that. Maybe it was the suddenness of it all that had him at a loss for words. Or maybe she was just that beautiful that he ended up freezing on the spot. But now, he was anything but frozen in place; he couldn't stop fidgeting.

She was really starting to get on his nerves.

"Well, Sunshine," he drawled, "you certainly have the attitude of a rich girl."

Calypso narrowed her eyes. She was about to retort, but Piper quickly interveined. "So where exactly in Greece are you from?"

The diversion seemed to do the trick. "I was born in Malta, which actually isn't in Greece. It's closer to Italy, but when I was a child, I moved to Greece, Athens, actually, where my mother was living. My father came to America shortly after and started his business. He owns several of the apartment buildings around here. I moved into yours because it was close to the collage."

"Are you studying abroad?" Frank asked.

She shook her head. Several strands of her hair fell out of the pony tail. "No. I moved to America to finish my education and hopefully find my own way."

Piper nodded slowly. That wasn't an uncommon reason; the whole country was founded on the idea of people finding their own ways, after all. "And what's your major?"

"Chemistry," she said, though she didn't sound happy about it. She didn't elaborate, however.

"Ah." Piper said. "Mines Psychology. Frank's majoring in Zoology, Hazel is majoring in Gemology and Leo," she pointed to him, "is majoring in mechanical engineering."

Calypso gave him a dubious look. He expected her to make some kind of remark, but she said nothing. Her look had said all that needed to be said. She was skeptical, that much was obvious.

"I'm the best mechanic in town," he deliberately bragged. He made a show of putting on the smuggest grin he could manage.

"He really is," Frank cut in. "You should have seen the rockets he put on Percy's car!"

Calypso looked genuinely concerned. "Rockets? On a car?"

Piper sighed heavily. "Not one of his best ideas, although he probably thinks it was."

"Yep," he said, popping the p. "Percy thought it was cool too."

The girls shared a look.

Leo didn't need to be a mind reader to know what they were thinking. He'd been around Annabeth, Piper, and Hazel long enough to know that look- it was the infamous _boys are idiots_ look.

"Her certainly looks stupid enough to do that." Calypso stated.

He was starting to seriously dislike this woman.

...

If Leo believed in fate, he would say it was messing with him. She couldn't have lived in the one across the street, or better yet, across town. No, she _had _to be in the same building, on the same floor, in the apartment _right across the hall_ from the one he shared with Jason and Frank. To make matters worse, as soon as Calypso had disappeared, Piper just _had_ to compare the situation to some stupid romance book.

"It's just like this novel I read a couple years ago!" She exclaimed. "The main characters don't get along in the beginning, but - "

"Piper," Leo sighed. He was thoroughly exhausted. He did not want to hear her babbling about books. "Look, I appreciate the effort, but seriously, chill."

She must have noticed the fatigue in his tone because she said nothing more, though she looked slightly dejected. Then she sighed. "Fine. Go get rest, you look exhausted as you sound."

He didn't need to be told twice. He gave her a tired smile and opened the door to the apartment he shared with Frank and Jason.

One would think that with three guys living in it, the place would be a disaster, but it was anything but. Everything was put neatly in its place; Jason hated clutter and as a result, he was constantly cleaning. Leo's room was the only room in the apartment that was a mess, but neither Frank nor Jason said anything. Leo's room was his sanctuary; nobody touched anything in there. Nobody went in there.

Frank hadn't even made an attempt to get Jason into his room; he was lying on the couch, face down in the cushion. Leo suspected he was going to have a stiff neck in the morning, and a nasty hangover to accompany it. He almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

He stalked past the couch and towards his room. When they first moved in, there had been a lot of fighting about who got the master bedroom, but after an old fashion game of drawing lots, Leo, for once, had been lucky. It room was only slightly bigger than the others, but it had it's own bathroom, for which he was thankful. It made the morning routine easier; none of them had to stand around and wait for someone to finish their shower before they could go.

Leo reached into his pocket and fished his key out. Since no one really locked their front doors, Leo had taken to locking his room door. He trusted his friends, but not the rest of the building's tenants. One would be surprised at what people would steal if they were given the option. Had he not been accustom to the mess, he would have tripped the second he stepped in the door. He'd carelessly left his textbooks on the floor, again.

Weaving through the mess, he found his way to the bed with little effort, even with the lights off, and unceremoniously dumped himself onto the mattress.

Piper was only trying to help, but he couldn't help but think she only made matters worse. Sometimes he really didn't understand her logic. Or girls' logic in general. Or people. He barely understood himself a lot of the time.

With a heavy sigh, he rolled over and buried his face in his pillow. She might have been pretty, but her attitude was not. Everything about her was absolutely infuriating. Definately not the girl for him.

Sometimes he wondered if he was cursed; if some higher power were toying with him for their amusement. The first eight years of his life had been great, perfect even, if he excluded the existence of his crazy aunt. He used to be teased for being a mama's boy when he was younger, but he couldn't really be blamed. His mother was all he had at the time. Then she was taken from him. Still, after fourteen long years, he still blamed himself.

In reality, it wasn't his fault. It wasn't anyone's fault - it was just one of those things that happened, but whether it just happened or not he still blamed himself. He was there; he was old enough to think of _something, _but he couldn't. He couldn't do a thing but stand there helplessly as she died. He still had nightmares about it - sometimes he couldn't even think his mother's name without feeling like he was going to pass out. He hadn't been to her grave since the day she was buried, and he didn't think he'd ever be able to go back. Just the thought of it made his stomach churn.

"Leo Valdez," he muttered to himself, "screw up extraordinaire."


	3. Chapter 3

_**Cold Fire**_

_Chapter 3_

Piper

_**She knew Leo hadn't been in the mood for her antics**_, and to be completely honest, she wasn't entirely sure why the matchmaker in her slipped out, but it had. As much as she hated it, she did have that side to her, and on occasion, bad occasions, it seemed, it would pop out completely unwarranted - like that one friend who no one invited, but they always showed up anyway. Normally, Leo didn't mind, but this time, he did - and that bothered her. She'd spent years watching Leo flirt and try to seduce women, and even if it always fall through in the end, he still shrugged it off and walked away. He didn't let it irritate him, and if he did, he hid it well.

But with her, there was no hiding it.

If the two of them weren't ignoring each other, they were glaring and tossing insults back and fourth. It was a stalemate in tug of war; both sides were pulling, but the flag wasn't moving an inch.

And for a stupid reason no less.

Of course, she didn't have the entire story, only the little bits Frank had divulged and what Leo had said on the matter, but from what she _did_ know, it sounded stupid and petty. Then again, in reality, most fights were petty, even if they seemed like a big deal to those involved. Leo, however, wasn't the type to get into petty fights, at least he tried to avoid them - he was too easy going for that. Which could only mean that something else had happened that he wasn't telling her.

She'd probably never get the answer.

Most people didn't suspect it, but she knew that Leo was more closed off than he let on. She'd known him for nine years and he never once _hinted_ at how he landed in a foster home to begin with. The one time she asked him about his parents, he'd completely ignored her, though the look in his eyes told her it was better not to ask again.

She wasn't a fool. While most of the group was fooled by his happy-go-lucky attitude, she knew him well enough to know that he was hiding something beneath the jubilance he wore as a mask. Sometimes she couldn't help but wonder what broke him so badly that he would smile so brightly. Maybe it was just the psychologist in her speaking - she was always good at reading people, even more so now since she knew what she was supposed to be looking for.

And she knew his reaction to Calypso hadn't been normal.

Leo was witty and flirty when it came to women. Piper and the girls were an exception, given that not only were all of them taken, they were like sisters to him; he wouldn't treat them the same way he treated anyone else. But he didn't treat Calypso like either - Piper suspected he might really not like her. And they'd known each other for less than twenty-four hours.

Still, she had a feeling, a feeling she couldn't explain. Given the proximity of their living spaces, she highly doubted they'd never see each other again - she lived across the hall from him for God's sake. But, if their relationship stayed as it was, she suspected it was going to cause problems, not only for them, but everyone else.

Piper liked Calypso, even if she had just met her. She felt a connection, something of a mutual understanding, especially when she mentioned her father. Though Tristan McLean genuinely cared for his daughter, he was never around, and when he was, it only lasted for a fleeting moment before his phone rang or his assistant, Jane, was calling him into her office to discuss something. He always tried to make it up to her with expensive gifts or by giving her everything she asked for, but the one thing she really wanted, he never could seem to give her. She wanted her father to be _her father,_ not Tristan McLean, the famous actor - she wanted Tristan McLean, the dad who used to tell her Cherokee stories when she was younger. The dad who used to take her surfing, or have picnics with her. Not the man that she had to steal and break laws just to get his attention.

Granted, she was fortunate enough that she had a father, some of the other's weren't so lucky. Annabeth had issues with hers, though for the most part they'd been resolved. Percy didn't know who his father was, and probably never would, Frank was in the same boat. Then there was Leo, who was missing both of his parents, and she didn't doubt that had been difficult. Everyone else had _someone_ in their family to rely on. Frank had his grandmother, Hazel had her father, Nico had his older sister, Piper had her dad, Jason had his older sister. Leo had no one. Not an aunt, uncle, cousin or grandparent to rely on.

He knew he had been put into foster care at eight, and aside from the fact that he ran away several times, she didn't know anything else. It actually bothered her - she considered herself to be his sister and yet she didn't know anything about his life before his father adopted him. She just knew that he was Leo Valdez from Houston, Texas. He was hispanic, humorous, good at working with machines, and a bit more shattered than he let on, but that was it. She knew more about Jason, who didn't remember most of his childhood due to an accident, than she did him.

With a huff, she shook the thoughts from her head. The longer she dwelled on it, the more it would dampen her mood. He'd gotten along fine over the past fourteen years. He was capable of handling himself, but that didn't stop her from worrying about him from time to time.

The inside of the apartment was identical to the boys'. The master bedroom, which had been given to Annabeth so she'd have more room for her bookshelves, was located just left of the front door. The living room was small yet spacious, and the only thing that divided the it from the kitchen was a small breakfast bar and an arch way. Leading off the living room was a short hallway which lead to the other two rooms - Hazel's on the right and Piper's on the left. But unlike the boy's, it wasn't as clean.

Annabeth's books were scattered everywhere, stacked on the coffee table, on the end table, or in piles beside the couch. One of the living chairs was occupied by a pile of unfolded laundry. In the other, Hazel was slumped to the side, completely unconscious. She'd kicked her shoes off the second she'd gotten in the door - one was by the couch and the other was in the hallway behind her. Piper stared at her for a long moment, trying to decide whether to try and carry her to her room or just leave her there. After a few minutes she decided to leave her there for now. She'd get Annabeth, who was laying on the couch with her tablet in her hands, to help her later.

Sighing, she dropped her purse onto the the counter and strode into the kitchen. The fridge was more or less empty, as were the cabinets. Someone would have to do the shopping tomorrow. She glanced at the calendar on the wall beside the fridge. In order to help things flow smoothly, Annabeth had devised a chart that indicated who did what chores on what day - the only down side was when it came to daily chores, like dishes and laundry; someone one ended up doing it three times a week as opposed to two. Thankfully, it wasn't her turn to go shopping, or to do the dishes. But it was her turn to do the laundry.

She glanced back at the chair and shook her head. It was well after midnight and she was tired; the clothes could wait until morning. She opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. "Annabeth, it's your turn to do the shopping tomorrow."

Annabeth didn't answer.

She was too engrossed in whatever it was she was looking at on the tablet. It was a common occurrence with her. Whenever she was focused on something, everything else around her seemed to be nonexistent. Piper had a better chance of getting the wall to talk back.

With a shrug, she shuffled off to her room.

It was neat and clean, a bit small, but it didn't matter. She had room for her bed and her dresser, and that's all she cared about. Christmas lights were strung along the tops of the wall. Normally, she'd have to plug them in, but thanks to Leo, who had rewired one of the outlets, they turned on and off with the flip of a switch. In the corner above her bed, which was situated against the wall, right in front of the window, was a dream catcher. Technically it wasn't an actual dream catcher, but she didn't know what it's proper name was. It was a small wooden globe that had been tied together with twine mesh. A large handful of cotton had been stuffed inside. Placed on top of the cotton was a small wolf figure. Hawk feathers hung from the bottom.

On the wall beside her window, close to the head of the bed, were actual dream catchers. The rest of the walls were covered in posters, mostly of movies or books she'd read. She wasn't the kind of girl who hung posters of actors or attractive men all over her room; her father was an actor and after having seen one of his co-star's children's room, she deemed that it was just weird.

Above her dresser, she had a bulletin board full of pictures and drawings, most of which were done by Hazel. She had it organized by the events. All of the very memorable and life changing ones were on the right side where their graduation picture was. The rest, like the one of her, Jason, and Leo at Disneyland, were on the left. She couldn't help but smile.

It had been taken just a few months after Leo had been adopted. He was smiling, though he looked at bit uncertain. Piper and Jason had their arms draped over his shoulders, beaming at the camera. Her father had taken the picture when they went to Florida for summer vacation of their seventh grade year. As happy as it made her, it also brought about a pang of sadness; it was the last time she did anything like that with her father.

She shoved the thought aside.

She changed into her pajamas and returned to the living room. Annabeth was still preoccupied with the tablet. Hazel had shifted in the chair, so much that she was nearly falling out of it.

"Annabeth."

The blonde gave an absent minded hum.

"Help me move Hazel."

At first she wondered if she heard her, but before she could ask again, Annabeth set the tablet down. Together the two girls lifted her off the couch and shuffled to her room. After they were sure she was fine, they returned to the living room.

"So, that new girl," Annabeth started casually, "I take it she and Leo had an issue?"

Annabeth had woken up shortly after Piper had invited Calypso to their table and being as smart as she was, she'd picked up on the conflict instantly, though it wasn't very hard to, considering that the two of them weren't exactly being subtle about it.

Piper rolled her eyes. "Yeah. Apparently he accidently walked into her and she snapped at him. I knew Leo had a knack for annoying people, but I think he broke his previous record. From what Frank said, they hadn't even been talking for a full minute."

Annabeth raised her brows. "He really doesn't like her, does he?"

"Probably not." Piper confirmed.

They sat in silence for a few moments longer. Then Annabeth sighed. "Percy's been wanting to go to the beach for a while now. I was thinking maybe we could invite her, since you and Hazel really seem to like her, but if Leo's going..."

Piper gave it some thought. "You know, there's a saying that goes 'the songs you grow to like never stick at first'."

Annabeth blinked. "Piper, that is a line from a song. But, you have a point. Maybe whatever the issue is will blow over eventually. It's not like they're never going to see each other; she _does_ live right across the hall."

"Exactly, and if we sort it out now, it won't become an even bigger problem in the future."

"If it can be sorted out," Annabeth said. "They may not be able to get along at all. I mean some people just don't click."

Piper nodded. "But, its better to try and fail instead of not try at all."

"Don't try too hard, Piper, or they might think you're up to something else."

"They would be kind of cute together, but that's not what I'm pushing for," Piper sighed. She ran her fingers through her choppy hair. "I'm just trying to avoid and all out issue. If earlier was any indication of it, I can tell that if something isn't done, it's just going to escalate. You saw how they were going back and fourth."

Annabeth had seen. In fact, it was what woke her up - and she wasn't exactly happy about it.

"True," she said after a few minutes. "But still, don't discard the possibility that your plan to try and get them to work their problems out might backfire. Leo isn't exactly predictable. There's no telling what's going on in his head."

Piper snorted. "I don't think even _he_ knows what goes on in his head."

Annabeth smiled at that. "Well, I'm going to sleep. If he doesn't have a killer hangover, Percy will probably be over at the crack of dawn demanding that trip to the beach."

* * *

Piper was _not_ a morning person. She wasn't a _waking up_ person - especially when she woke up to the sound of Percy and Annabeth arguing.

With a loud groan, she sat up and rubbed the sleep from her eyes. The clock on the stand beside her bed read eleven thirty. She was up before noon on one of the very few off days she'd gotten in a while. Piper McLean was not a happy camper. She considered going back to sleep, but if there was one thing she'd learned over the years, it was that when Percy and Annabeth got into an argument, it tended to get loud - depending on how bad the argument was. Judging that their voices weren't loud enough to be heard down the hallway, she suspected it wasn't too serious, but it didn't sound close to being over.

She didn't bother getting dressed. It wasn't like they'd never seen her in her pajamas before.

As soon as she stumbled into the living room, the argument stopped. Annabeth gave her a sheepish smile and Percy muttered an apology. She just waved them off. She'd grown accustom to it. But whether she was accustom or not didn't make it any more enjoyable. It was still highly annoying.

"Are we going to the beach today?" Piper asked as she pulled a carton of orange juice from the fridge.

"Please?" Percy gave Annabeth his best pouty face.

The blonde sighed. "I don't see why not. Percy did you check the weather?"

"As soon as I woke up," he replied. He smiled widely. "Weather's all clear."

"Then go tell the boys," she waved him off and turned to her room mate. "Are you still considering inviting Calypso?"

Piper nodded.

"What about a Calypso?" Percy asked at the door.

"Yes, what about me?'

She'd stopped in front of the girls' room. She glanced at Percy and then at Piper and Annabeth expectantly. Piper noted she had a purse with her.

"You weren't about to go anywhere, were you?"

"Just to the store," she replied. "Why?"

"Well," Annabeth said. She motioned for her to come in. "We were planning on going to the beach and we were wondering if you wanted to come."

Calypso seemed to consider this. Then she scowled. "Is that _hellion_ coming?"

"Hellion?" Percy asked. He gave Piper and Annabeth a curious glance.

"She means Leo," Annabeth explained. She turned to Calypso with a sympathetic look. "He can be a bit of a handful, but I promise you he's not a bad person. He might be coming, but I'm not sure. I don't think Piper's asked them yet?"

Piper shook her head. "I'm going to now."

She gave Calypso a sunny smile and shuffled out the door. Calypso vaguely noted that she hadn't bothered to get dressed, muchless knock on the door down the hall. She just threw it open and waltzed in like she owned the place.

Annabeth looked at the young woman. "Where are my manors. I'm Annabeth Chase, and this," she motioned to Percy, "is my boyfriend, Percy Jackson."

Percy gave her a lame wave.

Calypso nodded at each of them respectively. "I'm Calypso Pallas."

Annabeth opened her mouth to say something else, but Piper poked her head through the door frame. "They're coming. Want me to check up with Will and Nico?"

"I'll do it," Hazel muttered as she shuffled into the living room. "Nico will most likely go if I ask."

The darker girl didn't give Calypso a second glance as she stumbled out of the apartment.

"So," Piper said, putting on her best pleading face, "are you coming?"

Calypso was silent for a moment. She had been wanting to go to the beach since she arrived in the country, and the weather was absolutely perfect, but she was reluctant. She _knew_ she'd find no peace if _he _was there. Then again, the beach was a huge place; she may very well find peace. With a small sigh, she nodded. "Let me go get ready."

Piper beamed at her and darted back into the apartment, letting out an excited shout when she reached the hallway.


End file.
